PROGRAM

* Level 1/2 – Beginners+ Intermediate, Level 2 – Intermediate, Level 3 – Advanced**You only have
access to the Intensive class, if you have registered for it! ***Subject to change.download program

Forró Intensive
course

At the intensive course the participants have the
opportunity to get to know and work intensively with a teacher. They will form
a firm group on which the course will be based and build up over three days.

-- Teachers: Juliana Braga orMarion Lima

-- One class per day (90min.)

-- Limited number of participants: 16 women, 10 men

-- Level: only for intermediate and advanced students

-- Additional fee: 15 €

--To be defined at the registration

Forró

Forró is a traditional couple dance from Northeast Brazil. The word forró has its etymological beginnings in the word forrobodó, which refers to folk dances in general. Nowadays the term forró is used to indicate a summary of rhythms like Baião, Xote, Pé de Serra and Forró de Marcha. Baião was emerged and spread up-country at the beginning of the 20th century but was not popular before the international music scene was paying attention to the work of Luiz Gonzaga (1912-1989) in the 1940ies. At that time Luiz Gonzaga defined the three commanding instruments accordion, zabumba and triangle - the so called Trio Nordestino. There are many ways how to dance forró; very sensual, closely embraced, cheek to cheek - depending on the area of Brazil. The rhythm varies and creates an atmosphere where people enjoy coming together and having fun.

Samba de Gafieira

Samba de gafieira is an elegant Brazilian saloon dance. Samba has its roots in Africa, and gafieira is the name for the place where the sambistas dance to live music: the saloon, which has its origins in Europe. The elegant dance has many different aspects: besides the swing and dance steps, creativity, improvisation and playing the music and rhythm are just as important in samba de gafieira. Gafieira is also called samba a dois (samba between two) or samba de salão (saloon samba).

Bolero

Samba
Bolero is a Cuban rhythm with Spanish roots and influences of the
countries where it is practiced. It has a tradition in many
Hispanic-American countries and Brazil. The rhythm became slower over
the time and the music is very romantic. A world-wide known Bolero song
is "Besame mucho", composed by Consuelo Velásquez.

In
Brazil, especially in Rio de Janeiro, Bolero includes more complex
movements from tango (trocadilhos, caminhadas, cruzados, giros). In the
1990s the new form of the dance spread around the whole country of
Brazil and is danced until today. Nonetheless, the dance always
maintained its character: flirty, soft, graceful and romantic.

Frevo

Frevo is music and a dance originating from Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil. The Frevo dance was developed by transforming capoeira movements. Capoeira (afro-brazilian martial art) was used for threats and fights between competing groups, often with knives in their hands. In order to end this violence, the police started to pursue the capoeiristas. They reacted in a clever way by carrying umbrellas instead of knives and also disguising the capoeira movements as dance movements. The frevo dance was born. Frevo is as of now more than 100 years old (1907) and naturally it has been evolved during all this time to reach its current form. Capoeira movements were transformed into the quasi-acrobatical movements of the Frevo dance. The fight between the groups moved from the physical to the aesthetical field. The umbrella also developed from regular black umbrellas to a small and also colorful umbrella. Umbrella movements are part of the dance. It's not uncommon to see frevo dancers throwing umbrellas in the air, passing them between their legs or just swinging the umbrella. The image of the frevo dancer (passista) is one of the most prominent icons of the carnival of Pernambuco.

Samba no Pé

Samba no Pé is a solo dance that is often danced impromptu when samba music is played. People usually dance in groups, communicating with each others with various samba steps instead of with words.